The Wanted have carried the olympic torch this morning and I was certain that something was going to go wrong, but as far as I know it went smoothly! The flame has already gone out twice on its rounds of the UK and I really thought TW (especially Jay) would drop it. Either that or it would set Siva's hair alight from the amount of product that lad uses. But no, Jay actually ran backwards with the torch which really was not a good idea with his past history. Tom and Nathan skipped with the flame and they filmed it all on the flip for this weeks Wanted Wednesday video.

Aw, I am so happy for her! She announced it on her website yesterday that her and partner Simon are expecting their first child together although she asked for everybody to respect their privacy 'at this precious time'
we cannot wait to hear more!

Imagine if it had a cracker of a voice, or a cackle of a laugh as its mother! oh god.

Friday, 29 June 2012

Tonight was the first out of three nights that The Stone Roses played their hometown, and my hometown of Manchester! My Mum and Dad got tickets for tonights reunion gig, and i'm quite gutted to be honest that I wasn't there. I live about 10 minutes away from Heaton Park and I could hear the muffled sounds. SO SO wish I was there. It was the place to be in Manchester tonight and I remember months ago when the tickets were coming out everybody was trying to get one! Even my teachers, our classes were just left as most of the staff were on ticketmaster trying to get a ticket for one of the three nights.
At least i'll see them at VFest in August. 49 days to go! wooo

I was lucky enough to get tickets to the Radio 1 Hackney Weekend on Saturday and it really was bloody brilliant. I didn't think the site and the stages would be as big as they were and after hours of travelling down from Manchester I was kitted out with my wellies and pac-a-mac, ready to see a lot of my favourite artists such as Ed Sheeran and The Vaccines.
We arrived in London at about 9am and after the 2 hour train from Manchester I was feeling pretty ill after being sprung out of bed at 5.30am. We got a taxi to the site and I was so surprised at how little people knew about the event, when we said we were going to Hackney Marshes they thought we were going to watch a football match or something. If it would have been in Manchester everybody would have known about it!

Tim Westwood on the DJ Stage

We queued up to go through what they explained would be 'airport style security' and it really was, it took us about an hour to get through and we were there as early as we could have been, half an hour later and the queues were miles long. It wasn't that bad really considering our tickets were checked four times, and we went through an airport metal detector and all of our bags were raided!
BBC, I applaud you, no knives were getting in there.
There were a few opening acts such as Tim Westwood and some little bands on the BBC introducing stage which were quite good, we didn't really like Weswood. I only knew like one of the songs he played.

Jessie Ware on the In New Music We Trust Stage

Vernon Kay introducing Jessie Ware

The first act we saw was Jessie Ware, I had only heard one of her songs before which was 110% but I thought she was really good, she had an amazing voice! Also I never knew that she was the vocals on the song 'Running' which Disclosure did a remix of and who she also brought on stage with to do the song. We then saw Emeli Sande who I have seen before but I thought she was incredible, the last time was at the M.E.N and I thought the arena was too big for her as she had only brought out two songs at the time. The tent at Hackney was just right for her and she was definately one of my favourite from the day!
We had a wander around to see Chris Moyles vs. Tim Westwood on the DJ stage which was pretty funny + Chris is looking trim! It proved good backing music for us eating a well cooked burger with dodgy cheese put on top. Classic festval grub. Then the rain started and everyone got their waterproofs out and we walked over to the main stage to see the end of Rizzle Kicks' set. Watching about 15,000 people doing the hump was quite something, also one of their mums came out at the end!

Rizzle Kicks on the Main Stage

Delilah on the In Music We Trust Stage

Example on the Main Stage

Ed Sheeran on the Main Stage

I missed Rudimental which was unfortunate but I had to secure my place for Ed Sheeran! He was incredible as usual and the only act i've seen that can make a song last nearly 15 minutes and break his guitar twice during the set. LOVE HIM. After his set we rushed over to see The Vaccines who I have seen before when they supported Arctic Monkeys but we were so far away we felt out of it then, they came onto stage and I got a shock when seeing Justin's hair. That thing seriously needs a chop! They were amazing though and the crowd was jumping to hits such as Norgaard and their new song No Hope. Brilliance.
After that, Kasabian took to the main stage. I think they were a bit pissed off and as said in interviews 'Hackney have been introduced to us' because most of the people at the front of the crowd were waiting for Jay-Z and probably looked bored to death. They were acceptional though and Tom Meighan (lead singer) sang an accapella version of a Beatles song at the end. ACE.
We were torn between waiting for Jay-Z or watching Jack White, we went for Jack White and i'm glad we did as Zane Lowe introduced him on stage and he did a few White Stripes tunes such as Seven Nation Army which was the last song of the night.
Jay-Z isn't really my thing so we only watched a bit of his set. His opening with Rihanna doing ‘Run This Town' was quite good although she had these sunglasses on which made me wonder if it was actually her from the distance we were from the stage.
Overall a very very good day on Hackney Marshes!

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

I am currently writing this whilst I listen to the new Muse single on Zane Lowe's show - it is definately a new sound for them!

YAY, The Vaccines have released the track listing and album artwork for their new album 'The Vaccines Come Of Age' I albsolutely love The Vaccines, ever since I was told to download the songs 'Wreckin' Bar' and 'Blow It Up' from some new little band and I remember I could only download live versions of the songs because they weren't properly completed yet, and now here they are with their second album!

I have seen The Vaccines twice, once on Arctic Monkeys' tour and on Saturday at Hackney which was by far the best - although Jusitn SERIOUSLY needs to cut his hair, oh god I didn't even think it was him when they came out at Hackney on the 'In New Music We Trust Stage' although it does look good when he whips it back and forth..

The Album artwork, as always does not explain much and once again does not have their faces on the front, probably best until Justin gets his hair sorted.
Their new album comes out in September and I cannot wait!

Monday, 25 June 2012

I was aware of Jessie Ware from her song 110%, but I had never really taken a real interest into her other music. Until I went to Radio 1's Hackney Weekend on Saturday and found myself watching her set as there was nothing else on, and I really didn't want to watch Dappy. I thought she had an amazing voice and never knew that she is the vocals on the track Running with Disclosure until she brought them out on stage.

Wednesday, 20 June 2012

I go to these every year and it has kinda become a tradition now, although some of the acts are not as good as they could be but sometimes theres nothing wrong with a bit of chav now and again (such as N-Dubz/Cher Lloyd who I have sat through)
Key 103 do one every Christmas and in Summer around July time, the lineup was decent though this year, off the top of my head there was..
- Example: He was a surprise act as he had his own gig at another venue later on at night.
- Ed Sheeran: I wept, bearing in mind this was the first time i'd ever seen him live and I had been obsessing over him for 12 months. I think that was standard.
- The Wanted: Brill.
- JLS: Shite but I always love to learn the dances to their songs.
- Tinchy Stryder: Too small to be visible from that far away.
- Pixie Lott: She was very good, and has an amazing voice!
- Matt Cardle: Boredom, I sat down.
- Dappy: He had a nice hat on.
- Olly Murs: Brill as always.
- Emeli Sande: Quite a lot of people sat down to her because she wasn't as popular then but I could see a lot better then so I thought she was very good, amazing voice!

I heard of Black Lights through my friend who knows one of their family members or something. I loved this gig, Jamie has such an amazing voice and I love all of their songs, they are all so calming.
The crowd was quite rowdy which was surprising considering the genre of the music and many times they would say 'right you can calm down now' as I think they wanted the crowd to actually listen to the music being played instead of jumping around the place, it wasn't that sort of gig.
Also at the end they were selling and signing their two EP's that they've brought out, both are brilliant tracks such as 'In The Dark' and 'Wake Up' are my favourites.

Tuesday, 19 June 2012

I was so surprised as to how much I actually enjoyed this gig. I bought his album when it came out but never ended up listening to it until like a week before. I always have to know the songs before I go to gig because I don't think its as good if they're brand new to you. Theres nothing to have a sing along to.
His support was J Cole who I had never heard of, but my friend said that he's good and i'd like him. I didn't. We ended up going for a walk around the M.E.N before it started to heal the boredom.
He came on at first wearing this outfit shown on the photo above ^ which I though was odd but we saw as he does jump about a lot, that it looks a lot better when he had all those lace type things attached to his back.
We were sat on the right hand side of the arena quite low down so we had a decent view anyway but then we noticed a load of the quards in those bright yellow jumpers all lined up as barriers for a walkway, then all of the lights went off and he appeared on the centre stage where he did an acoustic set of some of his songs. Also as it was his birthday so his manager came up onto that little stage and got the 12,000 of us to sing Happy Birthday to him, aw.
He did all of the hits as well as my favourite off the album 'Snap' and I was pleasently surprised as to how good this gig was. I didn't think seeing someone of his genre would be as good as this was!

Sunday, 17 June 2012

Amy Macdonald always reminds me of when I would walk to school in year seven because I would listen to her song 'Mr Rock & Roll' loads and I absolutely loved it but I never really heard much of her after that till now when I saw her on the morning show ' Freshly Squeezed' earlier this week. I love this song and if 'Slow It Down' is anything to go by I reckon her album (which was released on the 8th June) shall be brilliant!

Friday, 15 June 2012

Although I was sat in block 108 which was like right at the back of the M.E.N It felt as though we were on the front row, the atmosphere in there was amazing. The Vaccines were the support act who played their whole album as it only takes about half an hour as well as 'Tiger Blood' which is one of my faves. Because The Vaccines didn't have the whole staging up and all the lighting we kinda felt a bit out of it because they were so far away so I would love to see them in a smaller venue.
They came on and got the crowd going, and at one point got the left and right side of the arena shouting at each other. Brilliant.
They sang all of the hits except for 'A Certain Romance' which I was a bit gutted about because it is probably my favourite song of theirs and also a lot of the stuff off of the new album 'Suck It And See' which in my opinion has the worst album cover ever, but they're obviously not arsed.
Alex Turner was looking gorgeous as ever although from where I was standing it could have been an impersonater.
Overall very good, one of the best ones I have been to!

This is weird, hearing the Olly Murs song 'Heart Skips A Beat' without Rizzle Kicks' input is quite odd. As he is now trying to make it in America whilst touring with One Direction, he has released his UK No.1 single over there but without Rizzle Kicks. He (most probably his management) has decided to bring in the American rapper Chiddy Bang onto the track to get it more publicity because nobody over there has really heard of Olly Murs, and definately not Rizzle Kicks.
I'm not too keen on this new version to be honest, I love Rizzle Kicks and their version I think will always be the better one!

Sunday, 10 June 2012

10th June 2012 Ren Harvieu - Open Up Your Arms
I think this is the first time I have actually posted about my Record Of The Week on the Sunday as i'm supposed to. Anyway, I first heard of Ren Harvieu quite a few months ago (it was probably last year actually) as my friend knows her through some family relations I think but again recently when she performed on Jools Holland and it then clicked to me as to who she was. I love this song and I would hope to see her live in the future!

Saturday, 9 June 2012

Aw, my boys. I hardly actually know anyone personally who likes them apart from me and my cousin. People can take the piss out of them and say that 'their not as good as One Direction' and they might not be in the charts (but really, the charts are a load of crap because some right trash gets to No.1 sometimes!) anyway, I am proud to have watched them grow to what they are now, I shall always be 110% behind them and i'll always be ready at any given moment to go and stand outside some hotel or radio station to say hi to them!
They played their 3rd gig at the summertime ball today and I remember two years ago when they went on with All Time Low and they couldn't believe that they had even been picked to perform! I have always been gutted that I don't live in London and going to this gig is one of the reasons why, I would have loved to see them there today with some of my favourite artists such as Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry + Coldplay!
New band Lawson also played at the gig and I can see them going in the same route to be a big success in the future.

Thursday, 7 June 2012

I am extremely happy that Rudimental got to Number 1 on Sunday! I have loved this song for months and I predicted that it would be a big summer song at hopefully get to the top of the charts back in April when I had it as my 'Record Of The Week'

Also it has been released at they will be all this years Hackney Weekend on the day that I am going! - well chuffed.

My friend told me about this band a few hours ago whilst she was looking at a playlist and I did think they sound kinda like Gnarls Barkley but apparently they are known for their 'Gnarls Barkley-esque blend of characterful voice and crisp, intricate groove created from an infectious alliance of electric piano and offbeat guitar'

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

'Can you blow my whistle baby?'
I know it's absolute trash but I do really love this song and it's really catchy! I always think I'll hate his songs because the music snob in me tries to come out but I end up loving them. It's a weird one.

Tuesday, 5 June 2012

I absolutely love these, I only heard of them the other day but I do think that they're brilliant. I heard of them through Huw Stevens on Radio 1 for BBC Introducing and I love the fact that they use a xylophone in their music and it is so central to their sound which makes them different to any other new band abround at the moment.One of my favourites is 'Down By The Bus Shelter' off their EP 'Forest Gate' and I think they'll be big, I can't believe they're like 16 and sound so good - Imagine what they'll sound like in 5 years time!